Campaign Arcs
To Vodenstadt The recently appointed Inquisitor Vollmacht is given orders to head to Vodenstadt. He and his team pass through a village that's plagued by strange undead spectres and monsters. After battling the creatures of the night, the team track the source to a mysterious girl. Hunting the girl deep into the Schattenwald, Vollmacht's team find themselves battling relics of an ancient god and discovering more about the dark history of their target, Elspeth von Karlen, a survivor and victim of both her family's dark power and the Inquisition's brutal justice. As they begin to catch up with her, they discover a pair of half-elves, Sofie and Irwin, who Elspeth befriended then sacrificed to her plans. Vollmacht is forced to make a difficult decision after discovering that Sofie is not only a sorcerer but also extremely close to her sixteenth birthday. Deciding to be merciful, Vollmacht elects to do everything in his power to keep the orphaned siblings as close together as he can. Vollmacht's team finally catch up to Elspeth and the two dark spirits that haunt her bloodline as she begins her ritual to resurrect an evil elven god. As they fight through the hoards of the dead, Lina's status as a shifter is revealed and the party is thrown into chaos. However, they manage to come together and put a stop to Elspeth's plans, killing her and finally ending the sad tale of her life. A Murdered Inquisitor Finally arriving in Vodenstadt, the team learn that the previous Inquisitor, Straussdorf, was recently found murdered in the streets. Before the day is through, the team once again experiences a crisis of trust and faith as Clara voluntarily reveals her true changeling nature. As inter-party tensions clash, they must still work together to follow the clues Straussdorf left behind him and discover the truth behind his death. Their search leads them to the Candlemaker's guild and its dark connections to the criminal organisation the Lightsteppers as well as the heresy conducted by both. A cult is lurking in the depths of the passages beneath Vodenstadt, a cult using guild's heretical candles and the blood of kidnapped sorcerers to summon forth demonic abominations. Stakes become even higher when Sofie is kidnapped straight from the home of the Inquisition within Vodenstadt and prepared as a sacrifice. Vollmacht and his team manage to infiltrate the ritual in the nick of time and put a stop to the sacrifices. However, it is not over yet as the Lightsteppers, and the mysterious Hush Master who guides them, are rooted even deeper below the city. Following a lead, they investigate a strange abbey where they first come into contact with the tricksy and treacherous Mina Baelwytch. After an assist from Inquisitor Grubenstein, they learn more about the Baelwytches and their dark intentions. After a mysterious woman named Richter helps Clara infiltrate the Lightsteppers and gain the necessary information for an assault upon the passages beneath the city, the true preparations begin. However, the Baelwytches strike first and in their attack upon the mayor, Lina is killed. Newcomer and old friend of Hedwig's, Morgan steps in to fill the void left behind. After an incredibly rocky start with grievances airing both old and new, the team pulls itself together to finally wipe the Lightsteppers out once and for all. One final mystery is answered with Straussdorf revealing to Vollmacht that he is in fact very much alive. A Traitor Uncovered Still recovering from the heavy losses in the aftermath of the assault, Straussdorf informs Klemens of his belief that there was a traitor somewhere among the military who hopes to strike now that the city's defences have been decimated. As officials within Vodenstadt's military begin to disappear and rumours begin to swirl about the strangeness of many of the new soldiers brought in from outside the city, Vollmacht and his team begin a very careful investigation. Without evidence there is a traitor, they risk bringing danger and disgrace upon their heads if their activities are detected too early. Suspicion falls upon Captain Boehm and the team makes careful preparation to investigate. Unfortunately, disaster strikes and, while Vollmacht gains the evidence he needs far earlier than expected, Morgan is slain in the conflict. The death of another member proves too much for the fragile team and it splinters once more with Hedwig departing shortly after the funeral. Into this delicate situation steps Klaus, a previous team member of Vollmacht's thought dead for over seven years, and his hired bodyguard, Ester. The newly repaired team, with the help of Scout-Sergeant Habicht chase after the fleeing Boehm, capturing him before too long. They also make the shocking discovery that the strange, mindless soldiers have been tortured and tainted till they are nothing more than empty husks. They bring him to Fort Helgenhoff in the hopes that General von Lusberg will be able to assist them in getting answers out of Boehm. However, the conspiracy lies even deeper than they thought and Von Lusberg reveals himself to be a traitor, poisoning and capturing the entire team. He reveals his plans to Vollmacht, that he was the one behind everything and that he intends to sacrifice the entire city of Vodenstadt to his demonic master. With the help of Richter, the team manages to fight their way free and race back to the city of Vodenstadt to find it already ablaze. After infiltrating, Vollmacht and his team set about dismantling Von Lusberg's forces and his summoning circles, ending in a climactic battle with Methelas the Whisperer who had possessed the body of the Prince. Vollmacht is forced to execute the Prince saving the city and the wider region but ensuring that he and his team will no longer be welcome within Vodenstadt. As the team prepare for their next adventure, Clara makes a shocking discovery. A Dark Disappearance After a lengthy break, the team gear up to track down a missing Inquisitor Raiken, deep in the Schattenwald. On the way, they stop to get Klaus re-certified. The trip through the Scattenwald is dangerous, and the team fight many undead creatures before they strike a truce with a lich by the name of Wulfryn and discover that Raiken last went to the elven city of Fenn'har Al'ai. With a stroke of luck, they find a guide to help them to the city but no further. Inside the city, we find the ruins of Raiken's camp, empty and at first glance undisturbed - but investigation shows signs of violence covered up. A hidden diary reveals plans to enter the catacombs, so the party sets forth. But the door seals shut behind them, with no way to open it. Out of choices, the group head further into the pitch black catacombs, accompanied by traps and manic writings scratched into the walls. Eventually they stumble into a group of elves, who promise to lead us to their leader as long as we promise to abandon our weapons and our torches. Now blinded, we are led into the great hall of their Queen. She demands that, as her property now, one of the group must make a bodily sacrifice. It is Lothar who volunteers to lose his eye, which is promptly cut out and thrown down a deep, dark pit in the centre of the throne room. After this the group are stripped and marched into a cell - which is already occupied by an ill, near death Raiken - missing a hand. Lothar heals Raiken and they all rest. Later, Raiken informs them that the rest of her team were forced to make sacrifices of organs that they could not live without. Clara is informed by her changeling friends that help is on the way, if they are proactive. With little time, the team manage to bust out of their cell and quickly escape through the maze of rocky tunnels, managing along the way to rescue their gear and weapons. It is a frantic escape, and soon attracts the attention of various high ranking elven soldiers. Eventually, the group with Raiken managed to get to the last bridge before the exit, followed closely by swarms of elves, only for there to be a blinding light and a mysterious red robed figure appearing on the bridge. The stranger tells the group to run on, and using a staff of daylight obliterates some of their pursuers. They run on, and at the sealed entranceway the stranger takes a vial of blood smashes it against the rock with elvish words, opening it and closing it behind the group. Though exhausted and battle weary, the group press on lest they are followed until they are a safe distance away from Fenn'har Al'ai. The stranger reveals himself as an elf by the name of Iontair. Iontair is exceptionally old, and knew the Fireheart personally, and helped found the Inquisition - a history not taught. Iontair tells the party he was sent to help them, but refuses to say who by before he teleports away. Raiken and Klemens briefly argue over trusting Iontair, but decide nevertheless to head to the capital.Category:Inquisition Operations